Geneva, Switzerland, 11 March 2014 – The World Economic Forum announced today the new members selected to join the Forum of Young Global Leaders. The 214 exceptional young individuals have been recognized for their achievements and contribution to society.

The Young Global Leaders (YGLs) come from diverse backgrounds and bring a range of expertise to the community from across the world. Over 50% of the new intake are women, half come from the private sector and half from the public sector, including academia, arts and culture, civil society, government, media and not-for-profit organizations.

“The YGL Community assembles the world’s most outstanding next-generation leaders who have a proven record of extraordinary achievement and helps them further develop in their leadership journey,” said David Aikman, Managing Director and Head of New Champions at the World Economic Forum.

“The community provides its members with a peer network that challenges them to not only do more, but to be more. Being part of the YGL community is a transformational experience, where leaders turn their personal success into global significance and positive impact in their countries, industries and areas of expertise,” he said.

The YGL Class of 2014 includes 49 individuals from East Asia, 46 from Europe, 17 from Latin America, 18 from the Middle East and North Africa, 48 from North America, 17 from South Asia and 19 from sub-Saharan Africa.

Liu Qiangdong, People’s Republic of China, founder and Chief Executive Officer of 360buy.com, China’s second-largest online retailer by transaction volume, and one of the country’s best known e-commerce entrepreneurs

The YGL Class of 2014 was drawn from a pool of over 2,000 candidates who were evaluated by Heidrick & Struggles and screened by a selection committee chaired by H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Candidates were evaluated according to specific criteria including their proven track record and commitment to society.

The YGL Community has more than 900 active members, representing every region of the world. The YGLs convene at an annual summit, held this year in Beijing and Tianjin, the People’s Republic of China, in September.

Find out what it means to be a part of the community with stories, profiles and quotes from YGLs in our brochure.

The World Economic Forum is an international institution committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation in the spirit of global citizenship. It engages with business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Incorporated as a not-for-profit foundation in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Forum is independent, impartial and not tied to any interests. It cooperates closely with all leading international organizations (www.weforum.org).